Association of metabolic syndrome with pediatric psoriasis: a case‐control study in Kabul, Afghanistan

Abstract Background Limited studies have assessed the risk of metabolic syndrome in pediatric psoriasis. This study was aimed to investigate the association of obesity and metabolic syndrome with pediatric psoriasis in Afghanistan. Methods A case‐control study was conducted from March to December 2018 at the dermatology department of Maiwand Teaching Hospital in Kabul city. Participants were children aged less than 18 years; 113 children with psoriasis and 113 children without psoriasis were compared. Height, weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured. Blood samples were taken following overnight fasting to test serum levels of glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol. Analyses were done using Chi‐square test and independent t test. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated. Results The mean age was 13.9 ± 3.7 and 13.4 ± 3.4 years in the psoriasis and control groups, respectively. Males comprised 54.9% of the psoriasis group and 41.6% of the control group. Family history of skin disorders was higher among children with psoriasis compared to the control group (23.0% vs. 13.7%; P < 0.001). Children with psoriasis were more likely to be overweight/obese (27.4% vs. 12.4%, OR = 2.67; P = 0.005), to have central adiposity with waist‐height ratio of 0.5 or greater (23% vs. 9.7%, OR = 2.77; P = 0.007), and to have metabolic syndrome (13.3% vs. 2.3%, OR = 5.23; P = 0.005). Conclusion The study revealed that children with psoriasis were more likely to have metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk factors compared to children without psoriasis.